7 Important Sewing Machine Facts You Should Know

You open the box and there it is: a brand-new sewing machine. It could look a lot more intimidating than wanting to connect up your new Blu-ray player to your own television, but don’t let the sewing machine scare you away. Once you learn the fundamental functions of the sewing machine and the purpose of pieces which come with it, you can learn how to do jobs very quickly while continuing to hone your own skills.

Here are some sewing machine facts that will hopefully help you improve your sewing skills more quickly, get you a better quality outcome, and reduce your stress along the way!

1: Only make use of the needles, bobbins, as well as other items which go along with your specific machine

A lot of things, notably bobbins and presser feet, are not interchangeable between different brands of sewing machines. Just use the ones specified by the sewing machine company. When you use a component that isn’t supported by your sewing machine, threads, or needles can break, or jam the bobbin, and also severely damage the sewing machine itself.

2: Sewing machines are not self-cleaning

You may have not seen your mom clean her sewing machine in over 10 years. Yet, that doesn’t mean the machine worked at its best operation in those later years. Periodic care calls for cleaning out thread and built-up fiber lint in the bobbin area, along the tension disks, and in the feed dogs. Using compressed air works nicely to blow fuzz and lint out from your machine. It’s also wise to oil your sewing machine periodically. Your owner’s manual will tell you the right method to apply the oild and the areas that need this important maintenance as well as the brand and details of the machine oil to use.

Here’s a good video showing some best practice in cleaning your sewing machine:

3: Price will not dictate a good sewing machine

You’ll find sewing machines as high as thousands of dollars and as low as $60. They truly come in all shapes and sizes. Yet keep in mind that a higher-priced sewing machine isn’t guaranteed to give you a better result. These super expensive sewing machines can have more features and accessories that would be necessary for really complicated projects, but bear in mind that terrific and trendy designs can still be created on lower-budget machines. In fact, you’re likely to learn sewing skill more quickly if you start with a machine with fewer automated features. Always remember, people have been sewing for many years with relatively basic machines. You don’t need the latest computerized sewing machine to product high-quality, attractive work.

4: Do Not blame the sewing machine for every problem

It really is easy to get into the habit of blaming the sewing machine because the stitch is crooked or the needle keeps breaking. Most of the time, you’ll find that it’s likely you that may be doing something wrong and causing these issues, or causing the sewing machine to malfunction. Before you toss your sewing machine in the attic or worse in the bin, or go online to buy a new one, assess what you’re doing and where you might be at fault. It’s also wise to ask a more seasoned sewer about the issues you might be facing. There are lots of on-line forums you can join and request help whenever you happen to be in doubt. Among the best sites is So Sew Easy. They have loads of free online resources, free sewing patterns, and a large and active sewing group where you can ask questions. You may learn that changing one easy technique will have you sewing just like a pro and in no time.

5: Sewing machines cannot alter the caliber of thread or the fabric you use

That cloth on sale at the fabric store may seem like a good idea and you may feel frivolous if you don’t you the very last bit of that ancient thread you have in the bottom of your stash, but we all know that in reality, the final outcome in making a high-quality and lasting garment will undoubtedly depend on the types and quality of thread and fabric that use. Always take into consideration what type of project you’re creating and your budget when choosing the proper fabric and materials so that you end up with something that really lasts. You’ll almost never go wrong when choosing the best quality fabric, thread and other materials available.

6: Work at your own speed

While much has been written about ways to speed up your sewing, particularly if you’re a beginner, you should really just take your time. Everyone has their own work-pace that will get them the very best quality stitches and seams. In the event you are a beginner sewist or just starting out learning how to create kid’s garments as a beginning, do not beat yourself up if your finish project aren’t as perfect as what you see on Pinterest. Work at your own pace and focus more on expanding your sewing skills and capabilities rather than trying to sew fast.

7: Only work on sewing projects that you love

Far too often we see new sewists give up on a project when is only half completed. The seamstress ran into a problem or couldn’t figure something out and just abandoned the project and sometime even sewing all together. If you’re just starting out, you should really aim to work on project that you love so that you’ll find the inner motivation to overcome challenges like learning new techniques or having to redo a section, maybe even more than once. When I was starting out, I definitely got very used to using a seam ripper sadly. But I learned and didn’t make the same mistakes again.

Become enthusiastic in everything you are doing and fall in love with the project you take on. When you are invested in completing your sewing project, it’ll become more easy to learn the best way to use your sewing machine to its fullest potential.